The collection documents one branch of the extended Franzetti family of Austin, Texas: Joseph (Joe) C. Franzetti (1911-1995); his father, Angelo Franzetti (circa 1878-1931); his mother, Guiditta Franzetti (circa 1884-1960); and, to a lesser extent, Joe's siblings, Louis Franzetti (1910-1984), Julia McWhorter (née Franzetti) (1915-1995), and Arthur Franzetti (1922-2009). Angelo Franzetti's brother, Carlo Franzetti, immigrated to the United States from northern Italy at the turn of the twentieth century. He began a grocery business in Austin, Texas, and was joined by his brother, Angelo, and later Angelo's wife, Guiditta. By 1903, Angelo had opened his own grocery store at 901 E. 6th Street in Austin, Texas. As the early decades of the twentieth century progressed, a number of other members of the extended Franzetti family would settle in Austin and open additional grocery stores. The family of Angelo and Guiditta Franzetti also owned a number of rental houses in East Austin, Texas, and Joe Franzetti made his career in real estate.

Scope and Contents

Ledgers, correspondence, legal documents, and financial documents illustrate the business and private lives of members of the Franzetti family of Austin, Texas. Arranged in three subgroups, Franzetti Grocery Company Records, Franzetti Family, and Photographs, the records document the family's grocery and rental real estate businesses, as well as their relationships among family and friends.

The Franzetti Grocery Company Records contain several store ledgers from the early- to mid-1920s. The Franzetti Family subgroup includes personal correspondence of Joe and Guiditta Franzetti, as well as miscellaneous correspondence associated with various other family members. Of special interest are several World War II letters, and letters from the family's country of origin, Italy. A small portion of the correspondence is written in Italian. This subgroup also includes Joe's and Guiditta's monthly rental income receipts for the various residential properties that they owned in East Austin, and receipts and contracts related to debts owed to Angelo Franzetti.

The 72 black and white silver gelatin photographic prints included in the collection were reported by the donor to have been found in one of the rental properties owned by the family in East Austin, and feature African American subjects. They appear to date from as early as the 1890s through the 1930s.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in four subgroups, Franzetti Grocery Company Records, Franzetti Family, and Photographs.

Donated by a member of the Franzetti family in 1970. A subsequent donation was made in 1996. The photographs included in this collection were found in one of the rental houses that the family owned in East Austin (Tex.).